​

My name is SoEun Park, and I am a senior studying Government and Sociology, with a secondary in Ethnicity, Migration, and Rights (EMR). Ballet has been a central part of my life since childhood, beginning in Korea after my first experience watching Giselle. After moving to Michigan, I continued my training and performance, competing nationally and studying at Valentina’s School of Ballet. This environment shaped both my artistic discipline and sense of community.

​​

Yet as I devoted myself to ballet, I could not ignore the invisible boundaries that shaped my experience, particularly the persistent lack of racial and socioeconomic diversity. Throughout my training, I was often one of the few dancers of color in studios and competitions. These experiences—ranging from subtle bias to more overt inequities in evaluation and opportunity—mirrored broader systemic patterns within the field.​

Despite its artistic excellence, ballet continues to struggle with meaningful inclusion. Professional companies and elite competitions frequently fail to reflect the diversity of the communities they serve. Barriers such as cost, access to training, industry norms, and representation reinforce cycles of exclusion, making it disproportionately difficult for talented dancers from underrepresented backgrounds to advance.

​

Financial barriers are particularly consequential. While some families can afford years of private instruction, pointe shoes, and competition fees, many others are effectively excluded from participation altogether. Recognizing how these structural inequalities shape opportunity—not talent—deepened my commitment to pursuing change through institutional action.​

​

In response, I founded Stairway For Ballet, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 2020. Our mission is to expand access to ballet while challenging long-standing stereotypes within the discipline.

​

Stairway For Ballet provides free online ballet programming for children ages 5–10, with a particular focus on students who may lack financial access to formal training. We also host summer programs and intensives that bring ballet education to underserved communities.

​

Beyond instruction, Stairway For Ballet engages in educational and advocacy work through media projects, petitions, and public resources that elevate dancers’ lived experiences and promote industry accountability. These efforts are designed to address both access and representation, recognizing that sustainable change requires structural as well as cultural engagement.

​

​

​

Stairway For Ballet reflects my broader commitment to equity, institutional reform, and community-building—values that also guide my academic and professional interests. At its core, the organization is grounded in the belief that creative expression should not be limited by race, income, or background, and that institutions are responsible for widening—not narrowing—paths to participation.

​

I welcome collaboration, dialogue, and continued engagement as we work toward a more inclusive ballet world.